This book places the experiences of the American merchant ship John Jay and the British warship HMS Driver within the larger geo-political world dominated by the violence and uncertainty of the Napoleonic Wars. While the Driver and the John Jay reflected their respective nation’s perspectives and identity, together they illustrate the ambiguities of the times in which they sailed. Their actions, and the consequences of those actions, intentional and unintentional, represented continuity in the Anglo-Atlantic. Catherine DeCesare demonstrates how the Americans were impacted by the natural hazards of wind, weather and water, the economic difficulties of maritime trade, the complexity and ambiguity of domestic policy, international relations, and war. The global conflict between Britain and France led to the seizure of the John Jay as a prize of war, the subsequent Vice Admiralty case in Bermuda, and an appeal to the High Court of Admiralty in London. This work makes visible the struggles and risks faced by ordinary people in these troubled times. Although the U.S. broke its imperial ties to Britain, this history illustrates continuity in the Anglo-Atlantic World. British rules, customs, commerce, law, and naval power remained dominant.